I am in the minority on this one but I actually struggled with it. Usually I love all books by John Marrs but this one just didn’t work for me. I know it’s definitely me as it has so many great reviews. I found it confusing at times and found myself having to keep checking back to see who was narrating a particular chapter. Yes there was some great twists at times but for me I think maybe there was too much going on. I think in a few months I’ll go back and read it again and perhaps it will be a better read for me..

In typical John Marrs fashion, You Killed Me First was full of twists and turns literally until the very end! Throughout the book I thought I knew what was happening and had to remind myself that this is a Marrs book, it’s never straightforward and there’s always something else going on under the surface. In this case, there was a LOT going on under the surface so it was full of unexpected surprises which is exactly what I want in a thriller.

Trust no one and question everything—John Marrs delivers another wild psychological thriller where everyone has something to hide. This book is packed with unhinged characters, each more twisted than the last. Marrs keeps you on edge, making you second-guess every motive and revelation. The pacing is relentless, and just when you think you’ve figured it out—boom, another twist.

John Marrs proves once again that he’s the master of keeping readers in suspense until the very last page.

Before I even start to read any of author's books, I know it is going to be an excellent read and his latest book "You Killed Me First by John Marrs" will be 5 stars! WoW. . . . I was not wrong! It was a superb book from start to finish. It was a brilliant psychological thriller that will have you gripped from the very first page and it did!
WoW. . . . . . It started with a BANG!
You Killed me First" was a great page turner and a book that will keep you reading it to the early hours on the morning. I could not put it down, until I read the last page. . . . . and Breathe!
This was a book that took my breathe away so many times!

"Three women. Three smouldering secrets. But, Who will make it out alive?

It is 5 November, which is Guy Fawkes night, a woman waken up to a nightmare. She is bound and gagged, and she lies trapped in the heart of a towering bonfire. But, as the smoke thickens, panic sets in and she’s moments away from being engulfed in flames.

How did it come to this?"

WoW!

"Now. . . . . . Rewind eleven months: Margot, is a faded TV star, and her long-suffering friend Anna watch, as glamorous Liv and her flawless family move into their street. The three women soon fabricate the perfect pretence of friendship, but each of them harbours her own deadly secret. But, the newcomer Liv senses something is terribly wrong beneath the polished exteriors.

Now. as cracks widen in the veneer of perfection and so many lies escalate out of control, tension ignites between them. . . . . . Bonfire Night is fast approaching and someone is set to burn! But who will it be?"

WoW. . . . . . Superb book. I loved it.

I highly recommend this book. Great holiday read.

Wow, what a rollercoaster. The twisting tail of past errors and crimes and current day lives entangled. This story seems to start off quite calmly and then gradually gets deeper and deeper. John Marrs has a very dark mind - and I love it!
It’s hard to not give away too much of the story, so I definitely won’t do that. All I can say it’s a well recommended read. We definitely need some more of his books as films or series.

You Killed Me First by John Marrs keeps you hooked till the very end.
A well written suspense filled with twists that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
A quick and fun read that I finished in a few hours.
The characterization was superb, the writing pacey and flowing, and the tension delivered in a series of shocks and twists along the way.
This is a tightly written story, with well developed characters and enough suspense to keep you reading.

This book follows three women, each with their own secrets, in the lead up to a big bonfire. Each woman has their own competitive nature and neither of them are very nice. The story is so entertaining and fast paced that I found myself unable to put it down. Marrs delivers a fantastic popcorn thriller with this one.

This was my second John Marrs book but my first of his thrillers. What a ride! You Killed Me First is cleverly plotted, the characters were well written and the twists were nicely executed. I’ve got lots of John’s books on my TBR and will definitely be diving in for more soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced reader copy of You Killed Me First in exchange for my honest review.

I always enjoy a suspenseful neighborhood domestic thriller and John Marrs nailed the 3 catty neighbors, Anna, Margot and Liv. Each one was worse than the others!

He kept me guessing until the end. Well done.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for this arc. I would give this book 6 stars if I could. This is a dark, twisted version of desperate housewives. (I mean that as a huge compliment) the twists never stopped coming. Every time you think you know it all, you don’t. I could not put this book down. Margot was the character you love to hate. Her bitchiness was unmatched. This is an absolute must read for anyone who loves psychological thrillers.

Three women—Margot, Anna, and Liv—find themselves tangled in a web of secrets and competition. Liv and her family are new to the neighborhood, and it doesn't take long before these women start going to great lengths to outdo one another. Who has what, how they got it, and where they come from—all the usual things people try to figure out. But little do they know, they have no idea what’s truly going on beneath the surface.

The story is full of twists, lies, and dark secrets. There’s a constant undercurrent of deceit, with everyone seemingly holding dirt on everyone else. I couldn't quite figure out how they managed to gather so much on one another. Each turn of the plot is a fresh set of unfortunate events, and just when you think they've exhausted their capacity for betraying each other, another shocking twist hits. The layers of manipulation and deception keep you on your toes, never letting you predict what's coming next.

You Killed Me First by John Marrs. I am a HUGE John Marrs fan, but this might be my FAVORITE book of his yet! This book had me guessing the entire time, until the last word on the last page. It was un-put-down-able. I had to figure out what was going on and how it ended. This book was PACKED with twists and turns. Everything you would want in a thriller!

I love short chapters and this ticks that box as it ensures that I race through a book. It took me a while to get into this story but then it really stepped up and I enjoyed it albeit, unusually, there wasn't a single character that was likeable. I also found that, although each chapter was narrated by each woman separately, once in that chapter it was hard to determine which of them was speaking as the dialogue sometimes ran on without a clear indication of who was talking. I had to keep referring back to the chapter heading to try and work it out. However, I did enjoy the book overall and the various twists which I never saw coming! Not my favourite of all this author's books but well worth a read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so excited to read this book because I’ve loved other books by this author, but I can’t finish this one. I’ve forced myself to read to this point hoping I’d find something to like or care about, but I don’t like any of the characters, the possession storyline is confusing, and I can’t make myself continue. DNF at 53%.

You Killed Me First had an intriguing premise, but ultimately, I struggled to connect with the story. The sheer number of characters made it difficult to keep track of everyone and their motivations, which detracted from the overall suspense. While I appreciate the author's attempt at intricate plotting, it felt overwhelming at times. A decent read if you enjoy complex narratives, but it wasn't a standout for me. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this early release. To be published March 2024.

Three women. Three smouldering secrets. Who will make it out alive?

It's the 5th November and a woman awakens to a nightmare. Bound and gagged, she lies trapped in a towering bonfire. As the smoke thickens, panic sets in - she's moments away from being in engulfed in flames. How did it come to this?

Rewind eleven months: Margot, a faded TV star, and her long suffering friend Anna watch a glamorous Liv and her flawless family move into their street. The three women soon fabricate the perfect pretence friendship, but each harbours their own deadly secret - and newcomer Liv senses something is terribly wrong beneath the polished exteriors'

This story is told from multiple points of view. There was lots of dark humour. It's told in two parts, and there were lots of lies, secrets and deceit. I was pulled in at the beginning even though the prologue was shocking. The characters were scheming and unlikable. We travel back eleven months and learn how we end up where we are. The ending was perfect.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #ThomasandMercer and the author 'JohnMarrs for my ARC of #YouKilledMeFirst in exchange for an honest review.

WOW, what a ride this book was. This book was filled with dark secrets, lies, and deceit. John Marrs’ throws us twist after twist in this one like he does with his other books. I had a hard time putting this one down (I ended up staying up way too late to finish this one lol)

I loved the unique characters and the ease to love or hate them. They put off such a facade but is that really who they are underneath? At times there was so much going on it was hard to keep straight, but it was all worth it. Definitely recommend this thriller when it publishes!

Wow, this certainly is a great book, from the chilling prologue to the end it's filled with twists and turns. It's classic John Marrs, twisted but entertaining with characters that you don't know whether to love or hate.
On the day that Liv moves into the street, her neighbours Margot and Anna go across to introduce themselves, Liv immediately assesses Margot as a social climber who belittles Anna at every turn.
Each woman has secrets and these are drip fed throughout the novel. There's an anonymous voice interspersed and the identity only becomes obvious during part 2.
It's a wild read and sure to be another big hit

This book was an absolute whirlwind! With so many characters to keep track of, it took a little time to remember who was who and how they connected, but once I got into the flow, I was hooked. The story is packed with deception, dark secrets, and an endless web of lies, making for a tense and gripping read.

Just when you think the characters have done their worst, another shocking twist emerges, keeping the suspense high throughout. The betrayals pile up relentlessly, and it’s fascinating (if not a little terrifying) to see how they all manage to dig up dirt on each other. The way everything unravels is like a domino effect of disaster and Marrs handles it brilliantly.

Fast-paced and utterly compelling, this was a solid read that I devoured quickly. A definite recommendation for fans of dark, twisty thrillers!

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book to read. I love this author and I’m yet to find a book of his that I haven’t liked and this is no exception. This book had me guessing all the way through and I lived the twists and turns. This is a great read, you won’t be disappointed!